Interesting Evening Out

[Philluk 181]

Well after constant rain since Monday, and I mean constant, last night on Wednesday evening it suddenly stopped and that sun thing came out, so thought let’s have a wonder and see what’s about, I've been on the pigeons recently and seen a few Roe about so thought I would go there now the corns been cut. I arrived and walked down the track the dog was enjoying the fresh scent the rain had brought and then looking right a roe doe was enjoying the blackberries and had most of her body in the bush, I got comfy against a fence post and watched her from a range of about 120-150m she was having a great time. Looking around I thought there must be a fawn somewhere but not a sign, so where is the buck?, I looked left through the long grass – nothing, right handed – nothing so I continued to watch her, then glassed left again all the way to the bottom of the field and back, bingo! there he was, amongst the long grass he was just laying there had it not been for the fact he shook his head I wouldn’t have seen him, he was well hidden. Now I had an issue he was sort of on the brow of a hill or a sort of bank in the middle of the field, behind him is a small wood I can shoot it but I had no back stop. There was no wind so I had a couple of choices, the hedge row I was in would give me cover to go downhill. I really had to go to the other side of him and shoot in the direction I was standing, so I crept down the hedge to the bottom and turned right, after about 150 m I thought I wonder if I had a safe shot if I crept up the field, so I thought I would give it a try, creeping through wet long grass I made my way up the field, this field does have a slight incline so I might be able to have the bank behind him, I got 150m up the field and I carefully looked up I could see the doe forward of me but I knew he was laying down and was well hidden, I thought if I stand he will see me and run, I did not have my sticks so a free hand shot was out, I have one of those extended bipods which extends about 3 ft so I was hoping a sitting shot on that would work well, i couldn't see him. I had no choice but to go back to the bottom of the field turn right again to the end of the field and turned right again which i did.

 

Working my way up the field he was now on my right I got to where I thought he was and went behind a big oak tree, I looked, I could see the doe she had wondered further away from me in the direction I was earlier but only 15 – 20m still in the blackberry bushes. I was now directly the opposite side of the same field I had first spotted him, I was looking and looking but I couldn’t see him, the grass was long and I thought I've got the back of his head to see this time but those small antlers must give him away. 15 – 20 mins passed and I continued to watch and wait in case he moved again or stood up, but if he did I would lose the small bank I had behind him so I needed him to stay laying down, otherwise I would have thrown a stone into the hedge to move him. I moved a further 20 ft forward I was now behind another oak tree, this one had the remains of an old high tower that’s a bit rusty and not used now. I knew the light would come to an end soon and I was soaked and now getting cold, but as much as I looked I could not see him, I thought I wonder if a closer look might show him and put the rifle on a low branch and zoomed right in and very carefully looked through the grass. The clearness of the Swarovski is amazing and I checked every blade of grass and every lump of ragwort as I moved carefully through the view I had across the field, nothing. The doe was still munching and was a great sight as the cross hairs light up on her, but I had not spotted him, I knew he was there just couldnt see him, I viewed back to look for him I was like a German search light over a prison camp going left and right, but very slowly and then out of the blue something moved where I knew he was, it was him but he stood up, leaned forward and stretched and walked forward towards the doe, he took a few paces and stopped just off the brow of the bank and I just needed a few more steps and I had the shot, he turned his head and looked in my direction, I could see the nose moving as he lifting his head, i put the cross on him and watched, those black nostrils were clearly working well the ears twitching, he turned to face me I still did not have the shot, I knew he was aware I was there, I was wet, my dog was wet, we must have had a sign above us with an arrow pointing down. He stood for what must have been ages but I thought is he going to move and join her in which case I might just have a shot, but no he turned and trotted off straight across the field, he stopped briefly at the fence I was leaning on where I first spotted him, he was now about 150-200m away side on, yes maybe i did have a shot but did i want to? no, he stood briefly, he had won and he ducked under the fence and went out of sight and away.

 

One for another day, was good to be out and get the dust off the gear, I don’t go out much this time of year on deer, foxes, rabbits yes, but deer I don’t don’t as I always say its too warm, he says as I was dam near shivering walking back last night wet and cold.

 

As I was walking back to the car I thought I need to set a target up to check my scope is still accurate at some point, there is no reason it shouldn’t be but need to check. The last 200m back to my jeep is where I check my rifle occasionally, what i do is take a target with me and put it on the bank and pace out 100m put a stick down and do my shoot and as i walk back to the jeep find the stick and have a shot. it’s a lovely bank goes down and back up again and just as it goes up I saw a grazing rabbit, I laid down and it was facing me munching I aimed at his head and saw the mud move as I shot, the dog ran on command and I did feel sorry for him and he brought this half skinned furry thing back to me that was about 2ft long. Yep the scopes fine.

 

came home and spent a load of dosh on some new bits for the season which will soon be here.

[Sussex Stalker 7]

Did you have your glasses on.? You know you need to wear them now.

 

Kev

[Philluk 181]

Did you have your glasses on.? You know you need to wear them now.

 

Kev

 

[seprim 32]

nice post - even if you don't land one its a good read

thanks for posting

Andrew

[Philluk 181]

There is a part 2 to this story,

 

was out on Friday morning just to give the dogs a run before the weekend, i had the 12g as i thought a few pigeons would be flying to keep the dogs busy and the rifle in case a fox bolted, and as i walked down the same route as i normally do and above story where it says i walked down the track and looked right and saw a doe, this time i looked left and saw the buck i had been after for a while. i thought he must have seen me or heard me as not 5 mins before i had shot at a rabbit, I say shot at, not shot. But he was laying down and munching on grass around him. now i had walked into the open, i had no sticks and i unloaded the 12 and rested the rifle on the 12g to get a better view, my rifle has the extended bipod and a chunky mod so its a bit nose heavy and heavy, yep thats him, i extended the bipod but it was too low as he was low and the ground was straight, i had put the mag in the gun but not one in the chamber. i dropped to the floor called both dogs to me and crawled away from the roe to the hedge and through the hedge with great excitement for my cocker and once on the other side i found a solid resting point and looked back for him. To start with i thought he had seen me and legged it, as crawling through the hedge wasn't the quietest, but as i searched left to right a few times movement caught my eye and there he was, laying down all i could see was the head munching on the grass around him. The clicking of a single bullet as i loaded didn't seem to bother him either and i watched him for a while thinking he might stand. For a few mins of watching he was quite settled and knowing how i had received a few txt from the local farmer who has been visited by this buck on a regular basis and thinking he would be pleased if its gone, but he was still laying there and as he rested his head it gave me the chance i needed.

 

Training: I then thought i would use this opportunity to do some more training and took a lead for my cocker and tied them both up on that side of the hedge, so they couldn't see me. I got to the deer who was still in the same position i had shot it put a rope on its head and dragged it to the edge of the field turned right into the woods and along a path and back out into my field again and sort of across the field and dropped it nearly back at the track i had shot it from, all be it 100yds further down. i returned to my dogs and kept one on a lead i took the other to the spot i had shot the deer and gave the command and watched as the dog ran forward turned right but went past where i went in the wood and about 20 yards past he then turned and came back on himself and went in the wood on the line where i had, he then came out where i did, and ran across the field straight to where the roe was laying and with his tail going mad he kept looking in my direction, I made my way to him, where he got loads of fuss. I have enrolled onto a deer tracking course to make the most of this dog, and im teaching him to bark to dead deer, ive taught him to bark on command and when i get to a dead deer i make him bark, i just need to connect the 2 together.

 

so i got him in the end...